Mop with detergent supply



July 7, 1953 WElL MOP WITH DETERGENT SUPPLY Filed April 11, 1949 Leo/lama! PVil ,INVENTOR. 3 @W 4 ic-19w Patented July 7, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MOP WITH DETERGENT SUPPLY, LeonardWeil, Nashville, Tenn.

Application April 11, 1949, Serial No. 86,805

The present invention provides an improved cleaning device such as a brush or mop for cleaning toilet bowls, urinals, and similar objects having parts that are ordinarily difficult of access.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a disposable mop for the above-indicated purpose which comprises a water-reactive chemical that will react with the water in the bowl and through the reaction produce a rapid and thorough cleansing action.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mop and chemical which will perform effectively the intended cleansing action, the chemical being attached to the mop in such a manner that it is not required to be touched by the hands of the user, and upon contact with the water in the usually inaccessible portion of the bowl, reacts with such water to produce a thorough cleansing action through solution in the water and agitation thereof, preferably with the added advantages of heat produced by the reaction.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mop of the above-indicated character which reaches the under lips of the toilet bowl and urinal where dirt usually, not only accumulates I and causes disagreeable odors, but is ordinarily difficult to remove.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a mop of the above-indicated character having an air-tight flexible fabric container carried by the mop and holding the reactive chemical, while the container is pervious to water which initiates the reaction between the cleansing chemicals, when the mop is in use.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive, and disposable mop for performing effectively a disagreeable task, thereby promoting higher standards of cleanliness and more sanitary conditions in public and private rest rooms and toilets in a more satisfactory manner than has been possible hereto= fore.

Further objects of the invention will become apparent as the features of novelty will be pointed out in particularity in the appended claims.

The invention will be understood more readily by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the improved mop of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of Fig. 1, with the yarn elements separated and showing the connecting staple in elevation.

Fig. 3 is a view of a staple used in assembling 3 Claims. (Cl. -209) description proceeds, and the indicated at 8.

the parts of the improved mop, the view indicating the position of the points of the staple in open or penetrating position.

Referring more particularly to the drawing there is shown a mop A constituting the present invention, comprising a handle I, a mop head 2 formedof the coarse yarn pieces 3, a chemical container 4 interposed between the mop head 2 and the handle I, and a staple 5 which unites the parts into a unitary structure. The chemical container 4 is a fabric envelope or bag which is rendered air-tight by a suitable water-dispersible or soluble size 6 which is applied to the bag and which permeates the fabric, filling the interstices thereofand forming a sealing medium therefor. The container 4 holds the water-re active chemical 'l, and the assembly is held together in assembled relation by said staple 5, which is driven through the parts and the points thereof bent together into clamping position, as The container 4 is assembled and interposed between the handle I and the mop head 2, so that the container 4 contacts with the water in the bowl being cleaned. The size 6, being water-soluble or dispersible, will become dissolved or dispersed in the water, a1- lowing the water to soak through the container 4 and to initiate the reaction between the chemicals contained therein. The size 6 may be starch, dextrose, or other water-soluble sealing mate-- rials that will become readily suggested to one skilled in the art. Also, various compositions of chemicals will readily suggest themselves, a very suitable composition being a mixture of powdered or flake caustic soda and aluminum chips or shavings, such mixture being vigorously ex othermic in the presence of water, the caustic soda being also soluble in water and reactive with the aluminum. The detergent action of the caustic soda and the generated heat produced by the reaction agitates' the Water and enables the mop to do an effective cleaning operation, the water being brought into vigorous ebullition by the chemical reaction in the container 4, said container being closed at its end by stitching 9 or in any suitable manner. The chemical I is retained in an excluded condition until the mop is used. After said chemical is exhausted, the entire mop is intended to be discarded.

It is known that the heat of formation of aluminum compounds is very high, and that subdivided metallic aluminum is highly reactive toward caustic alkalis in the presence of water, the

reaction evolving great amounts of heat, bringing the Water into vigorous ebullition both from boiling due to the heat of reaction but also due to the copious volumes of hydrogen gas evolved during the reaction. Byproviding excess of caustic alkali, the alkali, which is an effective detergent of itself, produces further enhanced detergent action by its own detergent effects in combination with the heat and ebullition produced by the aforesaid reaction. Other reactive materials may be employed that will give similar results and are obtainable from a wide variety of materials.

If desired, the mop may be wrapped or encased in an air-tight wrapper such as waxed paper, "cellophane or the like, which seals the mop against atmospheric moisture and which is intended to be removed when the men is put into use.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the illustrative embodiment of the invention is a representative embodiment thereof, and also that the details of the invention may be varied without departing from the purview of the invention. Accordingly, it will be understood that it is. intended and. desired to embrace within the scope of this invention such modifications and changes as may be necessary to adapt it to varying conditions and uses as defined by the appended claims.

Although in practice it has been found that the form of the invention illustrated in the, accompanying drawing and referred to in the above description as the pref-erred. embodiment is the most efiicient and practical, yet realizingv that conditions concurrent with the adoption of the invention will necessarily vary, it is desired to emphasize that various minor changes in details of construction, proportion and arrangement of 1 parts, may be resorted to within the scope of. the appended claims without departing from or sacrificing any of. the principles of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I desire protected by Letters Patent is as set forth in the following claims 1 1. A mop for cleaning toilet bowls and the like including inaccessible portions, which comprises a mop element, a handle element, a water-permeable fabric container mounted between the mop element and the handle element, and common fastening means securing together said mop element, handle element, and container, the said container being air-tight and provided with a water-dispersible starch layer sealing the interstices of the fabric, and a water-reactive detergent composition in the container adapted to become activated by the water entering the container responsive to dispersion of the starch sealing layer in the water, the composition consisting essentially of a mixture of comminuted caustic soda and comminuted metallic aluminum, the mop being adapted to be discarded when the composition in the container has become exhausted.

2. A mop for cleaning toilet bowls and the like including inaccessible portions, which comprises a. mop head formed of piece'sof coarse sheen yarn, a handle secured to the mop 'headanair-impervious container overlying the mop head and substantially coextensive therewith and disposed intermediate the handle element and the mop head, and a staple passing through the mop head, containerpand handle element for securing the same together as a complete operative assembly, the container being composed of mesh fabric normallysealed air-tight with a Water-dispersibl-e sealing medium filling the interstices of the fabric and seams thereof to render. the. container airtight, and a loose water-reactive composition in the envelope composed, of comminuted caustic soda and comminuted metallic aluminum, the said composition being vigorously exothermic in the presence of water, the mop assembly being intended to be discarded after a single use.

3. A mop assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the water-reactive composition in the container is composed of flake caustic soda and comminuted metallic aluminum, the caustic soda being in chemical excess over the aluminum.

LEONARD WEIL.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES. PATENTS Number Name Date 332,439 Ritchie Dec. 15, 1885 346,773 Rees Aug. 3, 1886 351,890 Waite Nov, 2, 1886 684,369 Hagans Oct. 8, 1901 1,266,878 Strobhart May 21, 1.918

1,594,902 Grant Aug. 3, 1926 1,854,235 Stoddard Apr. 19, 1932 1,928,226 Ladd Sept. 26, 1933 2,091,993 Jones Sept. 7, 19.37

2,167,841 Hertzberg Aug. 1, 1939 2,560,649 Hornaday July 17, 1951 

